Brush Nibblers (more commonly known as Nibblers) are small creatures native to Lada and even found on the more temperate areas of the icey northern continent of Forodwaith (beleived to have arrived on drifting masses of vegetation) and are among the most sucsessful creatures on Nova Atlantis. There are some three hundred species of Nibblers range in size from creatures the size of a rat to those the size of a bulldog with most being roughly rabbit sized. Brush Nibblers are a flightless offshoot of a clade of avian creatures which has otherwise been in decline over the last fourty million years. Many biologists on Nova Atlantis have compared Brush Nibblers to that of Quails on Earth. Their formost arms are in fact atrophied wings, now used mostly in mating displays and territorial displays. Nibblers are social animals, generally gathering in colonies which (In some species) can number in the area of tens of thousands of individuals. Nibblers main survival stratagy is that of running away from predators, burrowing and breeding fast, females in some species can lay up to six broods of up to two dozen eggs a year. Flexible and adaptable, they have even managed to do well in human colonies, eating what native strain plants they can find. They are also notable for singing. Due to these facts, Nibblers have been domesticated and are often kept as pets, with enthusiets breedin a variety of fanciful forms. Common across the Novan Empire and even beyond its boarders, Feral Nibblers have become a problem on a few planets.

(Terran Sphere) Raider Ship: Raiders (also known as Space Pirates) have been a chronic problem for interstellar civilization since the early FTL age. The first recorded space pirate attack happened in 1993 AT (with three more spacecraft disapeerences which are beleived to be possible pirate attacks between 1990 AT and 1993 AT) and rose steadily in frequency between then and 2020 AT. This led to the development of the first Interstellar space navies. Despite this, as the ammount of FTL commerce increased as hyperdrive Technology spread from the core systems across the Terran Sphere, Raider Activity has increased. It is beleived that their are now over a million raider ships across the Terran Sphere. Most of these act alone, although some act as fleets and a few have even managed to assemble into fleets under the command of Pirate Warlords which occasionally have been known to seize control of lesser star systems. This number has been increased as privateers are often hired by governments to engage in various unofficial acts of war.

Raider Ships are usually comprable in size to Frigates or Destroyers (and some of them actually are captured, salaged, sold or renegade warships) and are generally sugnifigantly altered over time through various hoge podge repairs, upgrades and modifications. This one has a variety of weapons systems installed, including a set of heavy missile launch cells. It also carries cargo containers to store captured goods (although many pirates will employ a purely civilian freighter to carry and sell their plunder), as welll as carrying a set of low range manipulator craft. Another distinguishing feature is of course the skull and crossbones painted on it's Radiator assembly.

Ladataurus are a family of creatures native to Nova Atlantis's continent of Lada, as well as the common name for them. The Ladataurus is a large, stupid herbivore filling the same role that Bison and Aurochs did on Terra. Ladataurus have long snouts, allowing them to graize and drink and quickly respond to threats. Ladataurus lay long eggs in herd nesting grounds. Of all the creatures native to Nova Atlantis, the Ladataurus was among the first domesticated, as it was an effective draft animal that could subsist on native plants such as plainmats and Ladabrush, stronger than oxen and could loose up to five of it's legs and still be effective. They were (and still are) bred for their hides. Ladataurus are among the prefered prey of Bladewolves. A fair number of Noble houses has adopted the Ladataurus as their family animal.

Commonwealth Joint Army CA-10 Power Armor system (affectionately known by it's nickname of Sowy (Polish for Owl) among the commonwealth's military due to the helmet design). The primary power armor system of the Commonwealth of Democractic Worlds, it is a fairly high end system and is more ressiliant, stronger and has a longer battery life than it's Imperial Counterpart. This comes at a price however, as it costs more to produce and mantain each individual suit is about 60% more expensive to produce and mantain and it weighs about 40% more.

While Forodwaith is today now the most northern continent of Nova Atlantis, fifty million years ago it was a much warmer place. Now more than 70% of it is covered in glaciers, which are surrounded by tundra. Human settlement of Forodwraith has never been praticularly high, as of the 24th century After Tranquility, some 30 million people live on the continent proper or the surrounding islands, out of a total planetary population of eleven billion. As such, large areas of Forodwraith are untouched by human colonists. It is popular tourist area, using countergrav aircraft to observe the wildlife of the area. That said, among the greatest dangers to one who decides to go on photosafari is that of Blizzard Rammers.

Blizzard Rammers are a catagory of highly developed predators. At two and a half meters long and weighing between 300 and 400 kilos on average, these creatures are quite fearsome on their own, but they have developed a specialzied method of predatation, having a long and well developed horn on their head and are built for short fast charges to impale prey upon it. These creatures generally act alone or in small groups of three to five individuals. They also have a pair of daggerlike claws which they use to rip apart flesh and to claw smaller prey. Their prefered quarry are Eisbeests and the sealike Beach Wallowers. While their attack is powerful, they are slow creatures to turn and have vunerable flanks and a pack of bladewolves can take a rammer easily enough. During the Nova Atlantean Dark Age, Tsar Adam Kopernak of Kopernakgrad had several of these creatures captured to be bred, domesticated and used as warbeasts to be unleashed upon his foes as armored battering rams to charge into formations of arquebusiers. This was met with mixed sucsess, largely due to the fact that while they were of some usefulness in battle these creatures gored to death at least fourty of their trainers and keepers.

2nd Sergeant Carsten Chertok (Novan Imperial Army, 37th Planetary Army (The Shieldbreakers)) does a morning inspection of the Motorpool in NIA Regional Headquarters New Florida-25 (informally refered to by it's garrison as Terrace Infirma due to the large number of Rice Paddies and the fact that it is in an area which has seen numerous riots and geurilla activity) during the shift change. Behind him sits a parked Countergrav Artillery Vehicle. It is his job to make sure things work smoothly, but if the need arises he has seen plenty of action. To the soldiers he is intrusted to oversee his marksmenship and courage is respected, but he is also feared is ability to unleash upon those who slack off or do a half assed job a Right Royal Thundering.

New Florida is among the more politicially unstable planets of the Novan Empire, largely due to its above average population (nearly five billion), various internal conflicts and feuds, some of which go back to the three colonization ships which made their way to this planet, a pig headed tendancy to independance and the efforts of the Intersteller Protectorate. Three times in the Last century (though never for more than 1.5 T-years before the planets reconquest by the Novan Empire), Protectorate Forces had seized control of the world. Each time the world had been reconquered, a couple million Protectorate Soldiers were generally left on the planets surface and not all of them would surrender after the Empire's return. These would often engage in guerilla activity, as well as providing weapons, supplies and training to various anti-Imperial forces. For this reason, it is not unusual for fully power armored infantry to be on guard in outlying bases. The 37th Planetary Army of the Novan Imperial Army has made the Interstellar Protectorate their traditional enemy, their name refers to the Protectorate Logo (which is a ancient Roman Tower Sheild and Pilum).

A-A Novan ICS-15 Assault Rifle. A 5mm guass weapon capable of accelerating projectiles to 2km/h. It has a 60 round cylindrical magazine, as well as requiring a high density fuel cell.B-Multi-tool, a multipurpose tool which depending on the head attachment can serve as a miniature saw, screwdriver, bolt cutter and a variety of other useful purposesC-Combat KnifeD-A Zero-G Rated MugE-37th Planetary Army (Shieldbreakers) shoulder PatchF-Digital Utility Aide (DUA): A DUA is a technical device is a light computer. These are used for a variety of purposes including briefings, engineering work, data recording and as music storage devices. Interface involves a Stylus and a keyboard. It is about 20 centimeters across and weighs about 300 grams.C-Pre Prepaired Field Ration: The standard field ration pack of the Novan Imperial Army and Marine Corps. This is variety Imperial-37 (There are a few local brands used by specific armies and provided by local firms) which includes Smithsburg Bison Stew in self heating pouch, Rice in autocooking container, Preserved vegable medly, chocolate bar and a bottle of water. Comes with a disposable spoon, fork and chopsticks.

Admiral Vernon Gilauri (15th Herzog Gilauri) of the 3rd Armada of the 8th Fleet during the Fifth Cerberus Campaign against the Domain of Liberated Mankind (2299 AT to 2301 AT). Tasked with the Job off constant waves of Fanatical Domainite forces attempting to break into Imperial Space and wreaking havoc upon the Empire's Shipping and deep space mining operations, his Armada has faced considerable loses and is constantly on high alert. As such, to eliviate the stress he gradually turned more and more towards hard drink (in this case, New Busanese Soju. While he remains a competant commander when he is not curled up in the bottom of a bottle, his over-drinking still is a compromising factor.

A Planetary Magistrate of the Interstellar Protectorate's Governing Corps and member of a Planetary High Command enters in negotiations for conditions of his surrender to the Novan Empire with a Novan Noblewoman. Both understand the nessesity of doing this job but neither of them are praticularly happy about it nor do they approve of the system of government that their counterpart represents.

A DR-5 Ferret Countergrav Raider, the Commonwealth of Democratic World's Anser to the Bladewolf. Unlike the Bladewolf, it carries a 50mm grenade launcher and can not accept the same number of modifications, but does carry more ammuni

To the Drow, slave soldiers are a nessiary evil. While even low class Drow warriors are given armor and weapons better than those typically used by the Barbarians of the West, the loss of too many Drow in battle could have disasterous results for Dark Elf civilization. For this reason, janissaries exist.

Janissaries are recruited in childhood, each individual Dark Elf lordship and a few of the more prominant families will select those young male slave children (Generally age 6-10) which they deem to be the most suitable. The sons of Jannissaries generally become Janissaries as well. These boys are introduced to one of several subsects of Drow Religion, stressing the Importance of courage, resiliance, hatred of weakness, discipline and fearocity in battle. Training varies from region to region, but is generally quite brutal and is designed to create soldiers who will obey any command given by their superiors. They are inducted into active service at age 16. Janissaries that serve for 25 years are allowed a fairly comfortable retirement (though few last that long). In times of crisis, adult slaves are drafted into Janissary service, being given a month or two worth of training before being mixed into the corps to pad out their numbers, but even then it is rare for these quick additions to make up more than 25% of any lordship's Janissary force. (Due to the fact that most Drow slaves are Human, most Janissaries are human as well. Dwarvish Jannissaries are occasionally employed as shock troops, as are eunich orcs. For Dwarfs, the system is adjusted slightly to accomidate the fact that they live longer. Elves are not used as Janissaries.)

While their are some variations on this, Janissaries are usually given a a helmet and brestplate (but not a backplate) for armor. The common beleived reasons why the back is left exposed is so that their overseers can wip them forward in battle so that they don't break ranks and retreat. This posisition is undermined by the fact that Janissaries are allowed to loot corpses for armor and Veteran Janissaries usually distinguish themselves by weaing a miss-mash of armor with componants from various fallen enemies. Before the arrival of the Zhong, Janissaries would typically be armed with either a pike or a shield and either an axe, warhammer, mace or short sword. While Drow forces would manuver, Janissaries would hold the line and charge. Now they serve mainly as riflemen armed with breech loading rifles, with a few Grenadiers armed with grenade launchers (which due to the inferior nature of Dark Elf industrial metalurgy, machining and powder are prone to jamming and occasionally blow up themselves and the grenadier).

Of all the Barbarians of the West, Janissaries have aquired a praticular infamy. Even when compared to their overlords, Janissaries are considered to be animalistic brutes. They are often aided in battle by various drugs and are motivated by the promise of pillage and rape. Their have been instances in which Drow Officers have executed their jannissaries because they killed too many captives for him/her to make a profit off of them. Janissaries are braneded with a Tatoo on their back so if they ever escape, the natives can identify them and dispatch them. If a Janissary force is broken, they generally become brigands and highwaymen. Many officers in the Zhong Army have developed a contempt for Janissaries. A Number of captured Jannissaries have been put through the Laogai system and have been reformed to the point were they can be integrated, although these reformed Janissaries usually find few career opertunities beyond physical labour or in the area of cooking (A suprising number Janissaries are skilled in this area largely because Dark Elves have high standards for food, even in the field). A disproportionate number of them end up working for Dark Elves in some way.

Officers Uniform of the People's Unified Space Navy (Union of Free Socialist Worlds). Based around old Russian military uniforms with traditions starting in the latter half of the Last Century Before Tranquility due to romantic appeal of that era in the Union. Like many modern star naval uniforms it is space black.

The UFSW boarders the Novan Empire and has a praticular dislike for it. The UFSW beleives that a monarchist state with an established nobility has no right to exist in this modern era.

Lieutenant Commander Alison S. Leiyang of the sixth fleet of the Novan Imperial Navy having a family photo along with her Wife Raisa Leiyang (nee Kovalevskaya) and their son Dmitri Alisonovich. The photograph was taken from their aparment one of the Twin Apex towers of Galileosgrad, San Dorado. Young Dmitri relishes what time he can spend with Alison, even though her career often means being apart from her.

(Timeline 3177) The Type-37 Ikazuchi airborne strike Mech is the most common mech in service of the Imperial Japanese Army. Since it was put into production in 2182, more than half a million of these second generation mechs have marched off of imperial assembly lines. These mechs not only see widespread service to the Chrysanthemum Throne, but are also a popular export item, several other states, including the Tsardom of Romanova, the Free Nizamate of New Hindustan, the Republic of Zion and the Turkish Republic.

The Ikazuchi is fairly small, standing only eight meters tall and weighing about 16 tonnes. Its armor is rated against small arms and can offer some protection against heavy machine gun fire, but the Ikazuchi is still comparatively fragile. Its main advantage is flight. Using a powerful jet engine, countergravity systems and two manuvering wings an Ikazuchi mech can fly at speeds of up to 500 km per hour. Should the flight modual be damaged, it can be ejected. If it is jetisoned in flight, the countergravity systems generally allow the mech to safely land. Like all Japanese mechs, it is operated through a bio-feedback system. Nearly 75% of the Imperial Pilots that rated to operate these war machines are women.

The standard armament of the Ikazuchi is a Type-7 beam rifle. This weapon draws power through a connection in the right hand and can be set to various power settings to either maintain a continious beam of energy or fire a single short intense burst which can be a threat to even even some medium tanks if fired at their side armor. It also has little recoil, but takes some time between shots due to cooldown. They are also equiped with six wing mounted missiles, either for anti-air or anti-vehicle work, a bayonet and a 6.5mm machine gun in the left arm as a back up weapon. Customization is often the case and non standard mechs are commonly used by specialist teams.

The Ikazuchi stands as the Vanguard of any planetary offensive the Empire launches. Whole divisions of these mechs are generally deployed at the first wave of planetfall, scouting out and clearing landing zones, forcing enemy columns to spread out, harasment and manuver warfare. They are also useful in urban combat, making use of their VTOL and ground combat capacity to quickly move to engage trouble spots. In the Japanese Empire's war with the European Alliance, the Ikazuchi has proven quite sucessful in its intended role. This has prompted interest by the European Alliance's high command and has begun various programs to make counters for the Ikazuchi.

Standing some 20 meters tall and weighing in at 200 tonnes, the Type 50 Yokai Heavy Assault Mech is an imposing sight and one feared on the battlefield. Introduced in 2203, they are the first members of the Third Generation of Combat Mechs used by the Imperial Japanese Military. Though they are expensive and so far only 65,000 have been produced, their effectiveness on the battlefield makes even a single Yokai a force which is met with awe by the forces of the Empire and dread by its enemies.

Yokai Assault mechs are armed with a variety of weapons. The most common (Seen here) is a 95mm Rail rifle. Firing high speed AP rounds at a rate of 300 RPM (or at a slower rate if nessisary), this weapon can make a mockery of most tank's armor. For harder targets, a set of vertical launching missiles are employed. Its secondary weapons are a pair of wrist mounted laser cannons comprable in output to that of Ikazuchi mech's beam rifle (albiet with a further reduced rate of fire for full power shots). For defense, the Yokai is heavily armored, but also possesses a highly miniaturized defense screen generator. This allows the Yokai to establish a frontal defense screen. This can only be maintained for periods of a few minutes before overheating, but it can make the front of a Yokai highly resistant to missiles and shockwaves (though it does not offer much protection against high speed kinetic impactors which can get through.

Yokai are generally used alongside Imperial Armored columns of Medium and Light Tanks. While they are slow, few things save for ultraheavy tanks such as the European SpW-45 Reichsritter one on one. Their weaknesses is their slow speed (at best 50km/h) and their weak back armor. The prefered tactic by the European Alliance when engaging Yokai with main battle tanks is to strike at them from two sides at one with superior numbers.

An urban apartment building in the western provinces (slightly upscale and built in the last 15 years) in the capital of the fifth western province. This building contains some 58 apartments as well as the landlord's personnal penthouse at the top and several offices for clerks. Both the attic and part of the basement have low cost flats. This unit has a large number of kit manufactured components. These are often given to military officers (either full or joint ownership, depending on the rank of the officers in question) on their honorable discharge as a reward for their faithful service to the Zhong Empire.

Hundreds of apartment builds similar to this one dominant the landscape of major urban centers and additional ones are always being built. After the Zhong conquer an area, a mass movement of people begins from the countryside to cities as agricultural improvement and land reform lessen the need for surplus agricultural workers. This provides industrialization programs with a constant fresh supply of manpower to help elevate the Barbarians of the west by exposing them to civilization, as well as to help support the Empires armies to liberate other barbarians from their backwardsness. At first the housing set up to acomidate these new city dwellers were fairly crude, mostly consisting of a mixture of barrackes, prefabricated buildings that were little more than large boxes and shanties for the first five years after the Zhong Invasion. As infrastructure improved, more of an effort was paid to developing quality housing. After about a decade of Zhong Rule, it is typical for a city in the west to have a core consisting of the old city ringed by Zhong built residential districts, warehouses, factories, rail stations and so forth. This is often likend to a tiny single celled creature enveloping and eating a peice of food

Architecture is seen as a key component in this civilizing process and for this reason zoning laws are put into effect. Zhong style architecture and aesthetics for new buildings are generally mandated (even though a few avant guarde architects have argued about the merits of Western Building styles and have managed to desigm an build a few experimental works with permission from the government). Their are calls among some officials for a great purge of pre-invasion architecture, though this is beleived to be impractable at the moment due to the chronic housing shortage and concerns for of generating unrest. Generally westerners try to decorate them along western lines, this is especially true of former nobles, Dwarves, High Elves and Drow.

The GmR-01 Walküre Ariel Assault Mech is an experimental Ariel Assault Mech designed by the European Alliance. First put into production in December of 2212. Production has been limited so far to a few test batches totaling to some 10,000 units, though additional units are being manufactured. The biggest problem that the European Alliance has had in fielding these machines has been the lack of trained pilots, though this is gradually being lessened.

The Walküre was developed in direct response to the Imperial Japanese Army's Type-37 Ikazuchi after reports of their successes in the pacification campaigns on Deseret in 2203 allowing for several contracts to be put out for a vehicle capable of similar performances. Despite this, the development budget was limited and many senior generals did not approve of it. Development picked up after encounters with Ikazuchi Mechs increased support for the project increased. The resulting vehicle was somewhat rushed, but proved capable.

The Walküre is a better flyer than the Ikazuchi, capable of speeds of up to 740 kilometers per hour due to its streamlined head and is slightly faster on the ground. While its main beam rifle is at most capable of shots about 85% as powerful as a man power blast of an Ikazuchi, it has two forward mounted heavy machine guns on its main body which can be turned to face forward when on the ground and carries a heavier missile payload. In the first duel between these two mechs, the New European model proved superior. Despite this, the Walküre is not as well armored as the Ikazuchi, it requires more maintinence and is far more prone to mechanical failures. At the same time, IJA pilots are much more experienced and their Airborne Mecha tactics are in general more sound. Some analysts have described the Walküre as a 3rd or 2.5th generation mech. The IJA currently holds the numerical advantage in terms of number of mechs in service and many believe that they are working on a counter to the EA's upstart mecha programs.

Courtesans are a category of the Novan Nobility. These members of Noble Families those which focus extensively on personal image and social graces to advance either themselves or their families through marriage. While citizens are allowed to marry Nobles, there is something of a stigma against marrying Non-Nobles, especially among the Ventus Familia (Old Houses). Similar affairs were common among the Noble classes of Ancient Terra, but the analogues were generally limited to females (and female nobles generally limited to this capacity). There is a spectrum of Courtesan status, ranging from those somewhat more concerned with aesthetics and charm to those who are specially trained and dedicate their whole lives to it.

Most trained courtesans begin their journey around ages 12 to 14 by when they are sent to special schools. Mostly they choose to go down this path, although a few are dragooned into doing so. Many courtesans are bisexual. At these schools, in addition to more standard courses they are trained in artistry, history of the nobility, athletics, etiquettes, communication, conflict resolution and communication. Cosmetic surgery is used to perfect the aesthetics of individual courtesans. There are different schools of thought for Courtesan behavior, including those for male and female courtesans. It is more common for a female courtesan to engage in painting and dance and a male to engage in sports, though there are exceptions. Sexual and seduction based training is often component (if one were the former has less emphasis), though training here naturally starts officially at 18.

Courtesans tend to have a complex relationship politically. A few Noble houses have risen to prominence on the backs of Courtesans, while others see it as a way to put a few unusual members unconcerned with practical matters to use for the family. As they are usually benign, they tend to be less likely to stir up conflict than Administrative or Financials, though the radical republican fringe tends to see them as useless parasites. On the whole, Courtesans tend to be associated with the Ventus Familia as the newer households tend to be fairly small. As Courtesans have a significant amount of intrigue and style associated with them, a large volume of fiction has been written about them. While generally seen as passive, a number of Courtesans have proven effective leaders. Either behind their husbands/wives or in their own right. In particular, a fair number of the Empires more successful diplomats have been trained Courtesans.

(Terran Sphere) Novan Imperial Army Corporal Eleni Pavlos waits to make her move in an urban supression action in one of the old slums in Wikasgrad, New Florida. Rebel insurgencies are fairly common on New Florida, with the forces that she faces in this instance being part of the second lowest tier of rebel forces (the lowest being simple mobs). The elite of a New Florida rebellion are typically a set of quiet poker faced men and women, quiet and unassuming but capable of organizing forces and keeping them supplied. Then their are nondiscript elite fighters and officers, well organized and capable of preforming devestating lightning raids and then fading into the croud and full time partisans who have expert knowledge of the terrain. Then their are lower ranking agitators who publish media and make connections. Then they are various gangs and low income/low education youth movements that are loosely associated with the actual resistance through proxies. In exchange for drugs, weapons, loot and money and due to ideological rhetoric they will rise up and fight, generally causing chaos. This is usually done to provide a distraction while the elites preform some raid, hopefully killing a couple of police officers and Imperial soldiers in the process.

Here, corporal Pavlos waits with a couple of attrition infantry robots behind a building, listing to the affairs of a couple of Gang members fight. While they do hate the Imperial Authorities, they often also hate each other. Two of these gang members belong to two diferent gangs (as is identifable by their local type of home made decorative armor) are now this close to killing each other off. An overweight counterpart who might have some connections with the actual resistance movement tries to calm them down. He is armed with a Protectorate made gauss assault rifle which, unlike the usual machine shop made primitive chemical burners that are carried by rebels can pose a threat to a power armored soldier or an attrition robot. She waits to see how it goes, hoping that the rebels will do two thirds of the neutralization of this practicular trio.

A Female Soldier armed with a five meter long pike and a stabbing sword for close quarters. She comes from a Society at a level of technological development comparable to that of 1500s Italy that has more Enlightened views on the matter of gender than historical societies had and stands ready (along with her fellow countrymen and women) in steady formation to Shish-kebab any idiot Knight that comes her way.

Who is online: Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum